The Bird to the Nest
by Zurizip
Summary: Daine returns to Snowsdale to confront her old life. What will come of it? yes, i know, not updated for...uber long time, but I hope you'll read anyway. puppy dog eyes
1. Facing the Past

This idea came from another fic, but its totally different.  I just wanted to do something on its general lines.

This is short, but I hope to have it finished by the end of today…hope…

~^~

It was a foggy morning, and as she walked, a hand was placed gently onher shoulder.

"Daine," whispered a voice, "are you sure you want to do this?"

Daine eyed the houses of the village that they were entering.  It was still early morning, and most of the village was asleep.  Those who weren't were in the fields.  She nodded slowly.

"I must."

Numair sighed.  Daine had wished to do this for a long while, though he had no notion why.  Perhaps it was Kel telling her about Galla when she had gone half a year ago.  Numair smiled, Kel's flock had added some mountain birds that year, bringing her flock up to about thirty birds in all.  Now all of those birds were asleep, the fog making them drowsier than usual.  They paused; Cloud and Spots raised their noses.  Daine could feel Cloud shiver, even through the saddle.

Oh cloud, why am I doing this?

Cloud huffed.

I don't know what put this into your head, you know as well as I a bird can never return to its nest.

Daine sighed, recalling her last time here, more than five years ago.  How she had changed.  Now there was no smoke, save for that of cooking fires finaly being started for the day.  The sun was rising higher, and the fog was breaking.  Suddenly, Daine halted cloud and dismounted.  Numair halted spots and followed her lead.  Daine, staring into the village, now turned to face Numair, and took his hand, holding it close to her.

"Numair, could you…"

Numair smiled, and kissed his hand lightly.

"Wait here?"

Daine nodded wordlessly.  Numair, understanding completely after his trip to Carthak, bent and kissed her gently on the lips.

"I'll be here as long as you need."

Daine, at first frozen, melted with his kiss and flung her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest.  They stood like that for a long time, until Daine finally pulled away.  She turned away, and began the long walk into Snowsdale.


	2. Do I know of Death?

Here you are, as promised, the next chapter.  

Six reviews!  I feel so honored!!  I wasn't expecting such a good turnout!

This will be short, and unfourtanatly, will have only a few moments of D/N.  Maybe more, but who knows?  I'm letting this story write itself.

~^~

Daine stood at the gate of the town for a long, long time.  Finally, forcing her leaden feet to go on, she stepped into Snowsdale.  

It was exactly as she remembered it.  The baker and the Ferrier were still on the Main street, and vendors, setting up their wares in the watery morning light still supplied the village with fruits and vegetables.  One or two called out to her, but she ignored them and continued walking, heading for a certain place.  It took only five minutes to come to it.  Burnt ground still lingered.  Stones from the kitchen, scorched from fire were still in the ground.  As she knelt on the ground, she even caught a glimpse of a fire ward that her mother had hung in the kitchen.  The ground was untouched, except by time.  It was like the village had declared it sacred.  Daine, still kneeling traced the ground with her fingers, reveling in the soft dirt that had once been her home.  

            As she sat there, footsteps came behind her, thudding so loudly that they made her wince.  They were boots, and in them was a man, authoritative.

"Who are you?"  

Daine let her hair cover her face, not wanting to be recognized.

"A traveler."

There was a hand on her shoulder, and before she could do anything, she was turned around.  A face that she had not seen for six years met her eyes.  Yet in that face, there was no recognition.

"A traveler, hm?  Odd that you would travel so far into the mountains.  And to Snowsdale.  Why do you come here, and not announce yourself, only come as a shadow and linger where death lurks?"

Daine looked to the place where her home had once sat.

"You know nothing of death Hakkon Falconer."  She spat, steely eyes piercing him through.

The man's face grew suddenly surprised, and he dropped her.  Then he regained his cool confidence, as quickly as he had lost it.

"I do not?" he said, raising an eyebrow.  "Do you know what happened here-" he paused, "Traveler?"

Daine knew, all too well, but shook her head, letting him tell the story from his view.

He sat beside her.

"A sad story it is.  A woman and her bastard daughter lived here once." Daine winced at the name. Hakkon ignored it and continued. "The woman lived with her father, and let the girl ran free.  Her daughter brought home the food, while her mother and grandfather worked none at all for her." Daine became angry at the thought that her mama and grandfather had done nothing for her.  They had been better parents than Hakkon could ever hope to be.  Hakkon sighed. "Anyhow, bandits attacked the village, and killed the mother and grandfather, leaving the girl, who had been away at the time." Daine recalled the night she had spent at Lory and Rand's, half wishing she had just gone home, and half glad that she hadn't.  She realized that Hakkon had stopped talking.

"And the girl?" she prompted, wondering what he had to say about her, "What happened to her?"

Hakkon shook his head.

"The girl went mad.  I swear by Weiryn's horn," Daine smirked at the irony. "she turned into a wolf, running with the pack and everything.  They killed the bandits, I'll give her that, but she was mad.  There was nothing we could do.  I tried to kill her mercifully, to make it swift, like you kill a rabid dog, but she ran off.  I don't even know what happened to her."

Daine stood, brushing off her riders cloths.  She wiped her eyes.  Hakkon Stood up as well.

"You see?  I do know of death." He said, looking at the ground.

Daine shook her head.

"No?" Hakkon asked, "And why do you say that, traveler?"

Daine took a breath.

"Because, falconer, I was that girl that you spoke of."

~^~

*snerk* cliffie!


	3. Who is the Demon?

Twenty Two, no thirty, reviews!  WOW!

I didn't expect near that good a turnout!  But I certainly am not complaining, continue reviewing please! I think I might have to bump up the rating a bit for this chapter, as it isn't all that…flattering.

And to Enchantress, Yep, your fic inspired this, ::bows::  I haven't written TP fanfic for awhile, and I read her story and my fingers started to itch!  Everyone go read it if you have the time!

Disclaimer:  The characters belong to TP, and inspiration falls to enchantress, but I wrote it!

~^~

There was a gasp, and then a thump as Hakkon fell back.  Daine looked up, and found that he was on the ground, backing hurriedly away from her as if she carried the plague.

"D-Daine?" he squeaked, all coolness and calm evaporated.

Daine regarded him, perplexed, making no reply.  She didn't trust her voice.  Hakkon just shivered on the ground, and finally, Daine knelt beside him.  When she touched his shoulder though, Hakkon shied away as a nevous horse shies away from a stranger's hand.

"Hakkon?"

Hakkon gasped and looked up, his face a mask of pain, mixed with surprise and fear.  Daine was taken aback at how she had effected him.  Daine tried to sooth him by putting her hand on his shoulder again.  He slithered away like a snake.

"Demon!" he hissed, and Daine looked away, grimacing.  Her anger seethed inside her.  She had come to make amends, and here he was calling her a demon.  Something snapped in her mind.

"I?  Demon?  I believe that you should rethink your opinions before voicing them Hakkon Falconer."

Hakkon flung himself away from her, scrambling to his feet.  Daine stood gracefully, asking a wolfhound that was nearby to help her.  He agreed readily, and soon had a gentle hold of Hakkon's shirt tail, though he barely seemed to notice.

"Falconer, you will come and talk to me in a civil manner.  You owe that much to me."

Hakkon turned red.

"Owe you?!" he screeched, "Owe you?!  I owe you nothing, wench!"  and with that, he spat at her feet.

Daine looked distastefully as the spittle smeared across the ground.

"Nothing?  You ruined my life, and you owe me nothing?"

Hakkon was rapidly turning purple.

"I gave you all that you deserved, bastard!"

Daine sighed.

"Yes, you did.  You turned me out, and with help, I found a life."

Hakkon laugh haughtily.  

"A life?  Who would give anything to you, a mad bastard daughter?"

Daine studied her fingernails.

"Onua Chatmong of the K'miri Raddach.  She gave me my first job.  Which led me to Tortall, and…"

She stopped, not wanting to reveal her identity as the wildmage just yet.

Hakkon glared at her.

"And what, wench?  Did you finally find a bastard willing to part your legs?"

Daine gasped in indignity.  With courage that she hardly though she had within her, she strode right up to him and slapped him soundly.  The slap echoed, and a gasp went up from the crowd that Daine suddenly realized she had drawn.  Finally, she saw that this was no time to play humble return.  She drew herself up.

"I am Veralidaine Sarrasri, also known as Veralidaine Samilian and Daine.  And…" she said as an afterthought, "The Wildmage.  You turned me out, and I found a better life than any of you could have ever given me.  I came to make amends, but I see that it is impossible now that I come back to find you so set in your beliefs that a bastard is no better than the one who birthed her."  May my mother forgive my words, Daine thought to the gods, knowing that her mother was much better than she was.

There was a pause, it seemed like no one was breathing.  Daine turned away from Hakkon, only to find them surrounded by faces from her past, and others that were their children.  All of them seemed as if they had been struck by lightning.  Glaring, Daine found that they made a path for her, with which she stalked away from them.  She had just made it past the Ferriers when a voice called out.

"Daine!  Daine!"

Daine whirled, still angry with the people that had turned her out a second time.  When she turned around however, she found a woman and a little girl running towards her.  As they drew closer, she found that it was Lory.

"Lory?"

Lory let go of her daughter's hand and ran to Daine, grabbing her around the shoulders and hugging her.

"Daine!  Oh I knew it!  I knew it couldn't have…never you!... I'm sorry!...I cried all night!...please…"

Daine barely heard her, she was so surprised that someone was telling her that they were sorry.

"Lory…"

Daine began to cry, thankful that someone had believed in her.

~^~

Aw!  More later, I know that was a little abrupt…sorry!


	4. Friend of the Foe

Holy crap, 39 reviews??  That is amazing!!!

THANKYOU!!!

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Lory let her go all too soon, and, taking her hand, told to come with her.  As they slipped through the fields behind the town, she explained.

"I'm sorry that you came back to this.  Hakkon took over as headman when the old one died.  He declared you a spirit bearer as soon as you ran off."  She shook her head, obviously disgusted.  "Your name is now sort of a curse word here, everytime its uttered, one makes the sign against evil.  I didn't think that you were really all that bad but…they wouldn't listen to a woman, and so I barely bothered."

Daine shook her head to clear it.

"But Rand?  Why did he hunt me?"

Lory sighed.

"Oh Daine, he had little choice.  Hakkon was the one that wanted you dead, Rand just wanted it to be as swift as possible."

Daine mused over this as they ran the rest of the way to Lory's house.  They still lived about a mile from the village, and within five minutes of running, they were there.  As they slipped in the door, Daine suddenly remembered Lory's daughter.

"But Lory, what of you daughter?  Won't she fret?"

Lory shook her head.

"She's been in the village alone before.  Is anyone with you?  I'm afraid you might want to tell them to leave as soon as possible."

Daine shook her head.

"No, I won't set Numair off on his own, he'll throw a fit.  He's worse than a child that way."

Lory raised an eyebrow.

"Really now?"

Daine blushed, and Lory laughed merrily.

"Don't worry child, I'm happy for you.  Tell him to come here, we can put him up for a night, I assume you'll be staying?"

Daine gasped.

"Lory- are you sure there won't be any trouble?  I didn't get the warmest of welcomes."

Lory smiled.

"Oh no child, you got the best welcome you could hope for, considering the size of this village."  She winked. "And besides, we're too far out to be really considered part of Snowsdale."

Daine hesitated, then called out to Cloud, who had returned to Spots and Numair.

Cloud, you remember where Lory and Rand live, don't you?

The sheepherders?  Of course.

Could you get Numair and Spots down here?  He might be a little difficult.

Oh no, I don't think so.

Daine frowned.

Why not?

He's got about five village children on his heels, begging magic tricks from him.  I think he's at his wits end…

Daine laughed merrily.

In that case, wait awhile.

But Cloud was already saving Numair from his torture.

Daine came out of talking to her pony smiling, but the smile faded with one look at her friend, who was backed up against the wall.

"What is it Lory?"

Lory took a shuddering breath.

"Was that…" she paused. "magic?" she said 'magic' softly, as if she didn't want the answer.

Daine sighed.  She supposed it was time to explain.

"Sit down Lory, this is going to take awhile."

Lory slid down the wall to the floor, still eyeing Daine skeptically.

~^~

He he he…And folks, your right, there needs to be D/N, so there will be some!  Joy abound!!  Whoopie!  I get to write D/N, I get to write D/N!!!  Yeah, it was difficult convinceing me huh?

Sorry about the shortness of chapters, this is supposed to be a short story, and I'm taking it slow.


	5. Love and Forgivness

…35 Reviews?????

WOW!

THANKYOU!

I'll try to make this chapter longer than usual, just for all of you!

Unfourtanatly, I'm not putting it up until ff.n sorts out its server problems…

~^~

            Daine explained everything.  How she was the Wildmage, her magic, why she had gone mad, what shehad been doing, and even, who Numair was.  Lory look dazed for a few minutes, but pulled herself together rather well, all things considered.  For this Daine was thankful, and glad that she had soothed her friend onf he scare that she had obviously had.

~^~

Numair appeared only minutes after Daine had told Cloud to come.  He looked bedraggled.  Daine giggled.

"You look awful."

Numair regarded her mock-seriously.

"You are so encouraging."

Daine grinned and placed a hand on her cheek, meaning to coo him like she would a child, but Numair turned it around.  As she reached for him, he took her hand and kissed it gently, making her heart beat just a little faster.  She paused, rapt in his gaze, but suddenly shook herself when she heard a gasp from behind.  Turning, she found Lory, both hands over her mouth and shoulders shaking.  Daine put her hands on her hips.

"Well, I'm glad *you* find it funny."

Lory didn't even bother anymore, she doubled over, laughing hysterically.

"Its- its just…oh gods!  Its just so *cute*!!"

Daine glanced at Numair, who artfully arched an eyebrow.  Daine grinned slyly, and was suddenly grabbed, dipped, and kissed soundly.  She didn't know about Numair, but she was so dazed by the kiss, that she didn't even hear Lory whooping and cat-calling.  When he finally stood her upright, she looked at him gravely.

"Thankyou, I needed that."

Numair smiled, making her heart drop to her stomach.

"My pleasure."

Lory, who by now had controlled herself, came to stand beside Daine.

"So, Daine, who is this charming man who sweeps you off you feet in my cottage?"

Daine smiled, Loy had always phrased herself artfully, having been educated in Cria.  Rand was much the same, which, she supposed, was why they paired together so well.

"This is Numair Samilian, my…" she groped for the word.

"Friend" Numair finished lamely.  Daine elbowed him halfheartedly as Lory bit her lip to keep from bursting out again.

"Well, whoever you are, you've obviously done well for her."

Numair blushed, and Lory leaned over to Daine.

"Nice piece of work you've got there." She whispered.  Daine gasped.

"Lory!"

Lory laughed merrily, going to the fire and stirring the pot, leaving Daine and Numair to have a hushed conversation.

"Daine, I don't think that we should stay." Numair said, glancing at Lory.

"Numair, you know I came here to make amends, and I would hardly call what I did 'making amends'."

Numair sighed. 

"I don't like it Daine.  Your village is…"

"Stubborn." Daine finished, Numair nodded. "Yes, I know.  They always have been.  But I can't lose hope for them!"

"Hope for what?" he asked heatedly.

"Hope that they'll forgive me.  Hope that I'll forgive them.  Hope that maybe, just maybe this once, they'll overcome the small village mentality and just accept me to some degree, even if they don't completely forgive me."

Numair paused, then hugged her close.

"Oh magelet…" he murmured into her hair, wishing that he could have had the courage to do that for Carthak.  Unfourtanatly, they not only had tried to kill him twice, but had imprisoned Daine.  He could never forgive that.

            Daine clung to him, just breathing him in and letting the scent calm her.  Thus she began to calm, and was collected when Lory called for lunch.

As they ate, Rand came in, two children in tow.  He looked tired, and hassled.

            "Lory…" he started, but trailed off when he saw Daine and Numair in the corner.  Daine shushed Numair with a finger to her lips and walked out of the shadows.

            "Hullo Rand."

            Rand shook his head and dropped the arms of his children grabbing Daine and hugging her.  Daine had though she couldn't cry anymore, but this was like a second homecoming, and a silent beg for forgiveness.  Tears dripped onto his shoulder, but he wouldn't let them stay there.  To Daine's complete surprise, he knelt.

            "Veralidaine Sarrasri, I am sorry…I-I have no right to touch you after what I did."

            Daine gasped and stood silent, no reply save silence coming to her lips.  They stood like that, in awkward quiet for long moments, the children staring alternately at Daine and their father, Lory looking pleadingly and Daine, and Numair.  Daine looked at Numair, who nodded back.  Daine gulped, finding courage in her love for Numair.  She fell on her knees beside Rand, crying again.

            "Rand no.  Don't…just…please its fine, I forgive you."

            These seemed to be the words that he had been waiting to hear, because he looked up to face her.

            "Daine, they're talking about you all over the village, everyone's retelling the story."

            Daine snorted.

            "Is it the same story as I know I wonder?"

            Rand shook his head.

            "I doubt it."

            No more of it was said that evening.  The children were shooed from the room until Dinner, and even then, they sat as far away from the two strangers as they could.  The elder, the girl, looked to be about five, Daine figured that she was the one that she had played with so long ago.  As soon as the sun was down, she and Numair excused themselves to their respective beds, and slept soundly, despite their troubles.

~^~

Alright, alright, so maybe it wasn't quite as good as the others, but tis kind of filler until we get to the next part.  And your author has been sick for the lastr two days, so be nice!  I'm trying to beat my grastest review count in TP (or in fanfic period) Which is 89 (Taming of the Rose) So come on and REVIEW!!! Pweeeeeease???


	6. Healing in many forms

The next morning, Daine woke early to bird calls and the bleating of sheep.  But something wasn't quite right.  She sat on her bed for a moment before realizing what the problem was.  An animal outside was hurt.  

            Standing, she donned stockings, britches and a light shirt.  She didn't even bother waking Numair, knowing that he would need his sleep if he was going to do what she asked.  Putting it out of her mind, she strode to the door.  As she opened it, there was a gasp, and it became plain that Rand was on the other side.

"Sorry." Muttered Daine.

"It's fine." Said Rand back, and then he paused.  "Say, Daine?"

"What?" asked Daine, becoming anxious.  She wanted to find that Animal.

"You still have that…knack…for animals, don't you?"

Daine smirked.  It was obvious that Lory had forgotten to tell him about her 'knack'.

"You could say that."

"Well…" Rand rubbed his neck… "Theres a horse down with colic near town.  We're a little short on hands…"

"Oh, is that it?" Daine asked, realizing only afterwards that it had sounded rather abrupt.  Rand looked at her oddly, but said nothing. "Sorry, just take me there."

"A-Are you sure?  I had to come back here for an extra lead line.  She's started trying to roll."

Daine winced.  She hated curing Colic, it always meant traveling the intestines with her magic and straightening them out.  The magic also pushed along everything in the intestines, and it ended up being a messy job every time.

"Grab an extra pair of cloths please, that all I need."  

Rand grabbed a shirt and skirt from the sewing table in the corner and set off, looking perplexed.  Daine didn't care, she was already searching for the horse with her magic, getting to know her before meeting her face to face.

~^~

They reached the barn in about five minutes, Daine jogging ahead of Rand, who was very confused indeed.  The three people still there looked haggered and tired.  None of them recognized her, it was too early in the morning, and all of them were no older than eighteen, which meant that they wouldn't recognize her.  Daine smiled to herself.  This was good.

"Is she any better?" asked Rand.

All three shook their heads.

Daine peeped.  

"Could I…could I see her?"

The three boys looked at eachother, looked at Rand, looked at Daine and shrugged.  Daine took this to be a yes.

Talking the whole time to the horse, who was scared half to death, she soothed its urge to roll, telling her that that would just make matters worse.  The horse trusted her, and stopped trying to roll immediately.  The boys, surprised, braced for another push, sure that this was the calm before the storm.

"Don't clutch the leads like that, it makes her nervous."

Something in her voice must have warned them not to argue, because they relaxed their grip, looking at Rand with strained faces.

"You might want to move away from her rear." Said Daine as she began the process of straightening the kinks.  The boys, obedient to this strange girl who had walked in and calmed the hose immediately, did so.

~^~

It took half an hour to clean the horse out, and another five to heal the various cuts that she had gotten when desperate measures had been used to get her up from rolling.  Daine didn't approve at all, but knew that the horse had never been hurt before, only in this situation.  She forgave the farmers even as she healed the scratches, when the horse told her that one of the boys had been crying when he did it.

_Thankyou prairie sister._

Daine smiled.

_Glad to help._

She came out of meditation to four very surprised faces, and a pile of horse feces near her shoe.  She glared half-heartedly at the mare when she realized she was being laughed at horse style.  Then she saw the looks on the faces of the four men, and sighed.

"I suppose I should explain."

Four heads bobbed up and down in agreement.

~^~

FORGIVE ME O' READERS!

I have neglected my fanfiction roots, in an attempt to get an original done. (Incidentally, it almost is.) I also have work, which sucks up my time like a vacuum sucks dirt.  And, two hours later, as I write this, everytime I get on the friggen computer, something pulls me away.

So be patient, it may be another month before I update this again…sorry!!!! (and at least it isn't a cliffie…


	7. In the End

Daine walked into the cottage later that morning feeling very refreshed, despite the fact that she stunk of horse droppings.  When she got in the door, she was met by a miffed looking Numair.  

            "And where, exactly, have you been my dear?"

            She rolled her eyes.  "One of the horses in the village was down with colic.  I helped."

            Numair cocked an eyebrow.  "I'll wager that drew a reaction."

            She shrugged.  "No more than usual, the horse's owner didn't know me before."

            He nodded, then returned to the kitchen.  On the small stove was a pot of what looked to be stew.  But then, you never knew with Numair, it could have been his laundry for all she knew.  Daine sat in one of the chairs, shedding her shoes and dropping them with disdain along the side of the room.  For awhile, there was a comfortable silence, as Numair stirred his concoction, and Daine leaned back in her chair.  Then Numair turned from the stove, watching Daine.  "What are you going to do?"

            She didn't need to ask him what he was talking about.  "I don't know.  What do you do with people who won't break an image of you.  Can you change it?"

            He looked away.  "Don't ask me.  Just look how my return worked out."

            She winced.  "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to remind you.  It's just…"

            He took three strides over to her and gentely placed a finger over her lips. "Hush.  Your home is completely different than mine.  It is small, remote.  The trouble in my return was power, Ozorne wanted my power, they fear your power.  There is a difference."

            She looked down, closing her eyes.  "Yes,"  she whispered, "But how can I show them that they need no longer fear me?"

            He shook his head.  "I can't give you the answer to that, Daine.  There are people in this world who fear magic naturally.  They feel it spawns evil."

            "But it's just a matter of how you use it!"  she protested.

            He smiled.  "Those of us who use it know that.  But it is natural for mortals to fear what they do not understand.  It is the same principle as your wolves."

            She smiled.  "They're not my wolves, Numair, you know that."

            He shrugged, smiling.  "More yours than mine anyway."

            She shook her head.  "That doesn't solve my problem, Numair, how do I get these people to understand that I jut wish to make peace with my past?"

            He returned to the stove, stirring the pot a few times, then returned to the table before answering.  "Sweet, I can only give advice, and the best advice I can give is this:  In the end, we will only love what we understand, and we will understand what we are taught.  You must teach the village not to fear you."

            "How?  I obviously can't start a class entitled Daine 101."

            He laughed in surprise.  "That is very true.  Think: how did you teach the people of Dunluth not to fear the wolves?"

            "I-"  she stopped and thought for a moment.  "I had the humans and the wolves meet.  I had them each speak of their concerns, then they came to an agreement.  But how does that apply?"

            "Go into the village and act natural.  Show them that you're not mad, that you can be normal.  Greet their animals.  Help them as needed.  Forgive their misgivings, re-write the myths."

            Daine bit her lip, then looked up at Numair.  "You'll help?"

            He smiled.  "I am here for just that reason."

~^~

*looks sheepish*  Yeah.  So.  If any of you that were reading this originally still are even on ff.n then…heh…*hides*  BAD ME!  So, yeah.  Review.  Can't promise much, didn't realize that senior year was so horrible time-wise.  Want to finish this, don't know about a time bracket.  SORRY!


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